A modern lute type stringed musical instrument such as, for example, an electric guitar largely comprises a body plate, a neck projecting from the body plate and provided with a plurality of frets in spaced arrangement with one another, and a plurality of strings, typically six strings, each extending over the front surface of the body plate and terminating at the leading end of the neck. When playing the lute type stringed musical instrument, the musical instrument is held across the player's body and, then, the strings are plucked with the fingers of the right hand or a plectrum, the fingers of the left hand being used to force down the strings to one of the frets. Then, the body plate is usually brought into contact with the player's body at the back surface thereof during the performance.
A typical example of the electric guitar is illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings and largely comprises a body plate 1, a neck 2 projecting from the body plate 1, and a plurality of strings 3 stretched over the body plate 1 and the neck 2. The body plate 1 is formed of wood without a resonator and has a slightly curved front surface 4 and a flat back surface 5. On the front surface 4 of the body plate 1 is rockably supported a tremolo unit 6 which is coupled to the strings 3 for changing the respective vibration frequencies of the strings 3. A pick-up unit 7 is also provided on the front surface 4 of the body plate 1 in spaced relationship with the strings 3 so as to produce electric signals tantamount in waveform to the vibrations of the strings 3.
The neck 2 has a straight portion 8 and a head portion 9 bent with respect to the straight portion 8, and the leading end of the head portion 9 is projected over a virtual surface 10 coplanar to the back surface 5 of the body plate 1. Though not clearly shown in the drawings, the head portion 9 is provided with a plurality of pegs at which the strings are respectively terminated. On a front surface of a finger board 11 of the neck 2 are provided a plurality of frets 12 which are arranged in spaced relationship with one another in the longitudinal direction of the straight portion 8.
Prior to a performance, the electric guitar is coupled to an electric sound system (not shown) through wirings. Then, the player holds the electric guitar across his body and, then, plucks the strings while forcing down the strings on the frets.
However, a problem is encountered in the prior-art electric guitar in tuning errors due to deflection of the neck 2. This is because of the fact that the leading end of the head portion 9 projects over the virtual surface 10. Namely, when the electric guitar is placed on a flat surface, the back surface 5 is firstly brought into contact with the flat surface, but the electric guitar turns until the leading end of the head portion 9 comes into contact with the flat surface. This results in that the neck 2 is subjected to a bending moment due to the reaction force exerted on the leading end of the head portion 9. As a result, the neck 2 is slightly bent, and, accordingly, the distance between a nut 13 and a bridge 14 is slightly decreased.
Moreover, another problem is encountered in the prior-art electric guitar in instability with respect to the player's body during the performance. This is because of the fact that the back face 5 is flat. In general, a human body has a round shape something like a bulge, so that the body plate 1 is merely brought into contact with the human body at a small area. Then, the electric guitar is liable to move around the human body when the player slightly swings his body. This results in an unstable playing position.